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The difference between a human being and a person

In the conversation about nonduality it is useful to define a “person” and a “human being” differently, as the differences prove illustrative.

A human being can be defined as a composite of the biological entity and conscousness.

Consciousness, keep in mind, is not a product of the biological entity, as is commonly understood, but is singular and all pervading.

A person can be defined as the interplay between consciousness and the biological entity, specifically the brain and senses, creating a mind, which believes itself to be separate, autonomous and individual.

Awakening is the process where the mind is transcended. In enlightenment there is still a human being, but there is no longer a person present.

Instead there are sensations and thoughts appearing in awareness. But no central “person” idea. No individual “having” experiences.

This is the greatest freedom. This is Sat, Chit, Ananda – a Sanskrit term meaning “Being, consciousness, bliss”.

This is the true flowering of the human being. Previous to this it is really a “human doing”.

In this light the vast milieu of human experience is seen as a creative blooming of infinite potential.

Sometimes there is first the intellectual idea that we are not a separate entity, followed by the experiential realisation or Self Realisation of the reality.

Or, this may happen at all at once.

Regardless, what remains is a human being. But not a person. Thoughts and sensations still appear. But they appear to no-one.

And from this flows love. Love is the natural state which is blocked, to lesser and greater degrees (far less so in a “loving” person) by the imaginary entity we call a person.